The prior art illustrates various types of outdoor grills which use charcoal in combination with gas as the source of fuel.
It is known in the art that one may place the food being grilled at a desired position from the source of the fuel. Thus, U.S. Pat. No. 4,572,062 discloses a firebox moveable in a vertical direction, but useful only with charcoal. U.S. Pat. No. 5,291,875 discloses an adjustable gas venturi assembly which is fabricated to fit numerous types of barbecue grills, and to provide communication between the gas supply and the burner element. U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,634 discloses a grilling apparatus having a vertically movable coal tray. U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,798 discloses an apparatus for cooking foods wherein a drip-pan is moveable to variable heights, but the heat source is in a stationary position.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,458,063; 5,099,821; 4,854,297; 4,944,282; 4,592,335 and 4,627,415 disclose different types of grills with moveable cooking grids and/or stationary burners. However, most of the gas grills have the disadvantage of stationary burners which are located directly below the cooking grid, and are subject to uncontrollable grease fires and limit the consumer to only high temperature grilling. Similarly, grill apparatus using an adjustable coal tray which is vertically moveable during the grilling process results in similar problems of intense heat and uncontrollable grease fires.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a grilling apparatus that avoids the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art devices, yet provides a grilling apparatus comprising a pivotally adjustable burner.